Man impaled in nose in fall from Abington home

The man, whom authorities did not identify, was flown by MedFlight helicopter to Boston Medical Center after the incident on Patricia Drive in Abington.

Matt Stout

A federal workplace investigator is probing how a 47-year-old Jamaica Plain man fell about 20 feet and was impaled in the nose Thursday morning while working at a house on Patricia Drive.

The man, whom authorities did not identify, was flown by MedFlight helicopter to Boston Medical Center.

According to fire Capt. David Farrell, the man was doing work at the house and fell, but the initial investigation did not determine whether he fell from a nearby ladder or the roof. A ladder could be seen lying on the ground roughly 20 feet from the house Thursday afternoon, after the man was transported to the hospital.

The man did not live at the house, nor was he related to anyone living there, Farrell said. He could not say whether the man was working alone or was part of a crew doing work at the home.

The man was “impaled by an object in the nasal cavity,” Farrell said. He was unconscious when rescue crews arrived. No other details were available on his injuries.

The MedFlight helicopter picked him up at the nearby Woodsdale Elementary School.

An investigator from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which probes workplace accidents, is looking into the incident, said spokesman Ted Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald said it is still unknown what kind of work the man was doing or who his employer was. He said if investigators determine proper workplace safety standards weren’t followed, the employer could be fined.

Fitzgerald said more details could be available by today. (Friday)

“We just know that he fell,” Fitzgerald said.

The 11:20 a.m. incident occurred at 122 Patricia Drive, a large colonial home in a quiet, upscale neighborhood in the northern end of town.

A woman who came to the door of the house Thursday afternoon declined comment.

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